FOURTEEN | Shooting Stars and Hot Air Balloons

The realization hit me today and is sitting heavy on my mind: only two weeks left before my study abroad comes to an end. Like a stone dropped into a still body of water, the realization created ripples of thoughts and memories – most of which inspired this post.

To say the least, there were a lot of personal discoveries in the last few weeks. The stuff that made me anxious at the beginning of the trip don’t bother me as much anymore. For instance, navigating a city, balancing school and travel, taking care of myself, and having the courage to try new things is second nature. Going abroad is easily one of the best decisions I ever made during my college career.

In the past few weeks, things that I always thought existed in dreams became my reality. I visited over 10 different cities, meet people from all over the world, and made some unforgettable memories with incredible friends: dancing in Barcelona, touring on a river cruise in Bruges, sampling all the waffles and chocolates in Brussels, living like a local in Berlin, counting shooting stars in Hyde Park, and watching hot air balloons take off in Bristol. I am so happy and grateful to be here. Without this opportunity, I wouldn’t feel as confident and comfortable with myself.

Sometimes it takes hard realizations to create some ripples in our routine thought processes. These moments remind us to stop and reflect. From funding the trip, planning flights and travel, and fitting my credits in, it was hard. But man, it’s worth every bump on that struggle bus. That brings me back to where I am today. Knowing that this will all end soon makes me sad. On the other hand, it also serves a reminder to cherish every moment here.